All sides weigh in on beach access during plover nesting. (Article by Cape Cod Times, December 16, 2013 by Doug Fraser)

ORLEANS — Local officials and others interested in beach access believe they may have regulations in place by the summer that would reduce the amount of time vehicles are prohibited from off-road trails in Orleans and Chatham because of nesting shorebirds.

The new rules would allow vehicles to bypass nests and possibly lone chicks that, because of current guidelines, required the beaches to be closed to off-road access for much of the summer this past year.